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Ogg

Skiing the powder
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Long Island, NY
I have an interest in my household for a camper van. The Promaster seems more in my budget. I'm also thinking about getting just the van and making the inside livable myself.

I suspect FWD would be a must vs RWD. I don't see any 4WD, yet.
The biggest question is Diesel vs Gasoline. What is preferred for camping/traveling anywhere in the US?
I haven't driven a Promaster but from what I've seen and heard on job sites is there is a good reason why they are cheaper. The difference in build quality between them and the Sprinter or Transit is stark. That said a AWD Transit will be significantly more expensive and I don't believe it's available with a diesel. A Sprinter with 4wd($8000 option) is likely out of your range.
 
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newfydog

newfydog

Making fresh tracks
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A camper van is easier to justify when it doubles as a utility vehicle. Here is mine as a decent moving van:
moving van.JPG
 

Dwight

Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
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Not like I need another project, but really thinking serious about this option. Supposedly rust free, but very high miles. Engines are easy though. Plus side, it is not white. Under 10K, FWD, RAM 3500.

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Ogg

Skiing the powder
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Long Island, NY
Not like I need another project, but really thinking serious about this option. Supposedly rust free, but very high miles. Engines are easy though. Plus side, it is not white. Under 10K, FWD, RAM 3500.

View attachment 141364
View attachment 141365
Sounds like a pretty good deal, especially these days.Transits with close to 200k are going for $15k around here. I think I'd be more worried about the transmission than the motor on one of those with high miles but you could probably replace both with low mileage ones and still be ahead of the game.
 

Dwight

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@Ogg you are probably right on the transmission. Easy to swap out. I hope the transmission is better than my Ram 1999, but I would have to check that.
 

Ogg

Skiing the powder
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@Ogg you are probably right on the transmission. Easy to swap out. I hope the transmission is better than my Ram 1999, but I would have to check that.
The Promaster is mostly Fiat AFAIK so :huh: . My father had a '98 Jeep GC LTD(pretty much the same drivetrain as the Ram)that drove to ~300k on its original transmission. It shifted a bit funny from ~50k but not bad enough to replace.
 

socalgal

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The newest addition, 1999 VW Eurovan. It was sitting in our neighbor's yard for a few years. Now it will sit in ours :D Actually, we hope to get it up and road worthy sooner rather than later. It definitely cleaned up nicely.
20211020_182043.jpg
 

jmeb

Enjoys skiing.
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Colorado
Our little Sienna camper got a new accessory before it's Canadian road trip next week -- a new center console.

I built this console to solve two problems we had:

1. The original console makes moving between front and rear of the van a bit of a contortionist act.
2. We like to play cards/eat facing each other when winter camping, but sadly don't have a swivel seat. (Airbags and what not make it tricky).

So I rebuilt the console so it can quickly be picked up, and moved behind the passenger chair where it acts as a seat for dinner and cards. It sits in a little carrier that doesn't impede front/rear movement. The carrier is bolted to the floor and can be used as a little bin if we leave the console at home.

Will say...each of these projects really makes me want to buy a table saw and build a router table....

1 - GpQyREe.jpg

2 - rauHSSJ.jpg

4 - JwoL3NX.jpg
 

BS Slarver

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@jmeb - love your mods, well done. What are you doing for heat, Chinese diesel suitcase ?

Don’t sweat the swivel seats, kinda a PITA IMO especially with the low headroom.

post up your road trip especially the border crossing deal with the rona, powder highway it on our March schedule as long as it’s not a shit show.
 

Guy in Shorts

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Wife went out last month and pulled the trigger on our first RV. This AWD Winnbago EKKO now lives in the driveway. She is determined to take our skiing everyday lifestyle on the road. Plenty of room in the gear garage for my quiver. Have stayed close to Killington for the last decade. Guess it may be time to hit the road to see if we can find any other ski areas to love
68270427092__E68A5C2C-5E79-4886-9317-B67DE85BC9EE.jpg
Powder skis loaded in the gear garage.
IMG_2206.jpg
 

DanoT

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Wife went out last month and pulled the trigger on our first RV. This AWD Winnbago EKKO now lives in the driveway. She is determined to take our skiing everyday lifestyle on the road. Plenty of room in the gear garage for my quiver. Have stayed close to Killington for the last decade. Guess it may be time to hit the road to see if we can find any other ski areas to love View attachment 177360 Powder skis loaded in the gear garage.
View attachment 177361
I put a deposit down on an EKKO in early May 2022 for estimated delivery in mid 2023. See you down the rode.
 

socalgal

Making fresh tracks
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I put a deposit down on an EKKO in early May 2022 for estimated delivery in mid 2023. See you down the rode.
Upgrading from the truck camper?
 

DanoT

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Wife went out last month and pulled the trigger on our first RV. This AWD Winnbago EKKO now lives in the driveway. She is determined to take our skiing everyday lifestyle on the road. Plenty of room in the gear garage for my quiver. Have stayed close to Killington for the last decade. Guess it may be time to hit the road to see if we can find any other ski areas to love View attachment 177360 Powder skis loaded in the gear garage.
View attachment 177361
If you haven't already done so, I recommend joining the Facebook group Winnebago EKKO Owners and Wannabees for a wealth of information.

According to one FB poster the WGO factory rep says the EKKO is good to 10*F (-12*C) and another who says a salesman claimed the EKKO is good to 0*F (-18*C).

My current winter capable 5th wheel trailer/ski chalet has R12 walls and ceiling and R20 floor, with holding tanks in a heated belly pan. It will become a shed and the EKKO the new ski chalet. When it gets to 0*F/-18*F (happens for about a week once or twice a season), I turn on heat tape that I have zip tied to all the water lines. I hope to be able to do something similar to the EKKO.
 

Guy in Shorts

Tree Psycho
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If you haven't already done so, I recommend joining the Facebook group Winnebago EKKO Owners and Wannabees for a wealth of information.
Wife found our used EKKO on the Wannabees site. Great group of online folks. The Vermont dealer offered us a contract to take our order. They wanted a 20K non-refundable deposit for a full MSRP with all price increases passed on to us and a two year delivery time frame. We passed on ordering a new one and found this used rig with 4K miles about two hours from our house. Winnebago has increased the base price from $161K to 188K since we started shopping. Demand for an all wheel drive RV is thru the roof.
 

BS Slarver

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@Guy in Shorts - nice score in these crazy RV times !
Friends sporting the EKKO rolled into town last year, from VT of all places.
Tail end of on a 60 day ski trip, no complaints or discussion on any freeze ups or problems, layout is super sweet.

Another buddy, local, found a dealer with a new 4WD basic van they wanted 15K over list, just nuts !
 

fatbob

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$188k rents a lot of Air BnBs - just saying


(yeah I know screwy depreciation/inflation messes with that quite a lot at the moment - I wonder if any buyers are counting on that continuing i.e. making a book profit after 2-3 years ownership & use?)
 
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Ogg

Skiing the powder
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Long Island, NY
@Guy in Shorts - nice score in these crazy RV times !
Friends sporting the EKKO rolled into town last year, from VT of all places.
Tail end of on a 60 day ski trip, no complaints or discussion on any freeze ups or problems, layout is super sweet.

Another buddy, local, found a dealer with a new 4WD basic van they wanted 15K over list, just nuts !
I've been poking around looking at used AWD Transits for a work/ski van. The current prices on any with the ecoboost, if you can find one, are silly.
@Guy in Shorts congratulations on your new rig. I'm sure you can find more than one mountain to spread the love to.
 
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DanoT

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Wife found our used EKKO on the Wannabees site. Great group of online folks. The Vermont dealer offered us a contract to take our order. They wanted a 20K non-refundable deposit for a full MSRP with all price increases passed on to us and a two year delivery time frame. We passed on ordering a new one and found this used rig with 4K miles about two hours from our house. Winnebago has increased the base price from $161K to 188K since we started shopping. Demand for an all wheel drive RV is thru the roof.
I got 2 EKKO quotes from Winnebago dealers with the one closest to where I will be mostly using it, $17kCdn cheaper than the dealer closest to where I spend my summers. It was $181,550 Cdn (no awnings, no outdoor kitchen, no roof rack but with entertainment center. They have since advised that Winnebago has raised the price by $2kCdn and Ford has raised the Transit price by $14,800Cdn. So far the price of the EKKO has been increased in August of 2021 and again in August 2022. However my dealer, Voyager RV in Winfield, B.C. (near Kelowna) has now issued me a future price increase cap of $11,901Cdn. They have my $20kCdn deposit which is refundable up until production of my EKKO actually begins.
 

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